Assignment 1
a. What I learned about the characters from 1.3:
1. Witches
They are able to see the future and this ability can act as the foreshadowing of what is going to happen later on in the book. To add a point, since they are portrayed as bitter, evil characters, I kind of suspect that this play was written at the time when witches were publicly despised.
2. Macbeth
Macbeth is the thane of Cawdor and, according to the witch, is going to be the next king of Scotland. On his way back after the fight, he encounters the witches and their prediction startles him. Though he ignores the witches, or at least tries to, we can see that there is at least a little bit of curiosity in himself too.
3. Banquo
Banquo is the companion of Macbeth and they were on their way back home together when they met the witch. He seems to be an inquisitive man since he is definitely curious and wants the witches to tell more about what is going to happen. Though he would not become the king, his child would be. The fact that he treats the witches nicely in order to have a better fate (which is, of course, a ridiculous and impossible thing) shows that he is very obsessed about it.
4. Ross
Ross is a messenger of the king. Although there isn't a detailed description of him, we learn that he tries hard to gain favor of the king.
5. Angus
Angus is also a messenger for the king. He also seems to be an honorable and loyal man judging from his unfavorable opinions of treason.
b. Major plot events
The witches are plotting a vengeance against a sailor when they encounter Macbeth and Banquo. They had already expected this encounter and tell both of them about their respective future. Macbeth is going to become the Than of Cawdor, and later on, even the King while Banquo does not have a special fate, except for the fact that his child would become the king instead. Macbeth and Banquo later do find out from the King's messengers that Macbeth is indeed going to be the Thane of Cawdor.
c. Conflicts introduced
Conflict seems to grow, or is expected to grow, between Macbeth and Banquo. Banquo is jealous of Macbeth's bright future and when Macbeth does become the King, I expect that this conflict would grow wider. Thus, this conflict would arise from the desire of power and the power of fate. Assignment 2
1.5 & 1.6
What do we learn about Lady Macbeth in these scenes?
Lady Macbeth, upon hearing her husband's words, is just as, if not more, hungry for power. She is willing to go to extreme ends to satisfy her obsession for power. Unlike Macbeth, she certainly has good leadership qualities, like charisma, which she misuses in order to form a conspiracy. She seems bold and man-like too. Thus, she is definitely not a traditional woman character and is expected to play a huge part in the ultimate outcome of the story.
How might Lady Macbeth answer the question “What is the meaning of life?” Explain your answer.
She might answer it as an endless struggle with self and others for fame, glory and power. She might also comment that the purpose of life is to reach its peak, which should be explored even if it takes unfair methods to accomplish. Therefore, the meaning of life is to conquer, and not to get conquered.
Identify and write out two of Lady Macbeth’s lines that are particularly striking. Explain why you selected the lines.
"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!" (Line 1.5.41-43)
This sentence is rather shocking because it tells the readers directly of Lady Macbeth's boyish characteristics. The phrase "unsex me" suggests that she is more than willing to throw away all her feministic qualities and labels to gain power and the word "crown" further emphasizes that she no longer thinks like a normal woman,
"Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor the heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry "Hold, hold!" (Line 1.5.50-53)
It reflects her determination to
It reflects her cruelty; she is not hesitant to put a sword through anyone. Nor is she afraid of God because of her sins, since she says that the heaven would not be able to stop her from killing the king. Therefore, it makes her all the more scarier.
Identify one significant word that Lady Macbeth uses in 1.5 or 1.6, and define both the denotation and connotation of the word. Explain why you think the word is significant.
The word would be "milk."
Denotation: a substance that you drink in order to keep fit and healthy.
Connotation: it symbolizes nourishment provided by the mother and represents a mother nurturing a child. It has a pure symbol and thus, is not at all associated with acts of violence. In the passage, Lady Macbeth says, "And take my milk for gall..." (Line 1.5.48)
Assignment 3
1.7: Why has Macbeth decided to kill King Duncan by the end of Act 1?
Before the discussion:
He is faced with enormous pressure from this wife. Because his wife keeps taunting him for not being able to kill the king, it hurt his pride and thus, Macbeth decides to be a man and kill the king.
Line reference:
1.7.42-45
"Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem"
After the discussion:
I think that although my original answer is right, there might be other reasons that I had not yet thought of. It is interesting to think of how Macbeth could actually not have been that innocent, and I don't think he was. In 1.4.52, he says, "Stars, hide your fires; let not the light see my black and deep desires." It shows that he has actually been intending to kill the kind from the beginning, and not that Lady Macbeth forced him to do so. Also, he seems to be convinced by Lady Macbeth too easily to be fully innocent. Assignment 4
Act 2
How does Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does he react this way?
Macbeth is traumatized. His deeds do seem real, like any normal man would act when a close friend had died. However, because he cannot overcome his guilt of being part of the murder, or at least having inspired the murder, he starts imagining things and is definitely not normal. "Sleep no more" (2.2.39) Macbeth says this showing his guilt that he feels for killing Duncan because he won't sleep anymore for doing this deed. He also shows this in 2.3.93-98 as he talks of how life is of less or no meaning and shows a changed view on the world. "All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead." (2.3.96) This is a significant quote since it shows Macbeth's loss of meaning of life and the will to live.
How does Lady Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does she react this way?
Since she is very cold, she is rather indifferent to the whole situation. Lady Macbeth acts like it was just another passing occasion, maybe partly because of her direct involvement to the murder. She is willing to sacrifice anyone and any inner feelings in order to achieve her desires.
Lady Macbeth reacts totally differently to the killing of Duncan when compared to Macbeth. She is totally calm and tries to sooth Macbeth and make him feel better. Macbeth sees his hands and say it is a "sorry sight" and she replies by saying, "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight." (2.2.25) She also says to not think about it because it makes them regret in 2.2.37-38. She also takes the daggers and places them to frame others by herself for him to show that she doesn't care as long as they get away with it. She was a person that is quite evil and wants everything. Assignment 5
OUTLINES
Act 3 Scene 5:
There is an encounter between the three witches and Hecate, who is angry at the witches' thoughtless actions of telling Macbeth about his fate. They plan to make him see interesting illusions and ultimately make him fail miserably.
Act 3 Scene 6:
Lennox and another lord discuss the situation in Scotland: Donalbain is trying to find alliances from England and with Macduff to try to overthrow Macbeth, who is not yet accused of the murders yet, but now of being a bad king.
What suspicions does the Lord have about Macbeth?
The Lord suspects that Macbeth would declare war on him and England.
Act 4 Scene 1:
1. What does Macbeth want in this scene?
Macbeth wants to know exactly what will happen to him in the future and what he should be wary of.
2. What stands in his way?
According to the witches' illusions, Macduff stands in his way, as do the children of Banquo who will indeed become kings.
3. How does Macbeth attempt overcome the obstacles in his way?
Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and his family as soon as possible, and therefore sets out to raid the town of Fife and Macduff's castle.
4. What do the Witches want in this scene?
The witches want Macbeth to listen to the spirits, but they also plan something very evil for him. Assignment 6
Act 5
How has Macbeth changed by the end of the play?
- He has turned purely evil that his behaviors and characteristics remind me of Lady Macbeth at the beginning.
1. She should have died hereafter.
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
We can witness his indifference here, from quotes such as "signifying nothing," "tale told by an idiot" and "life's but a walking shadow." Hence, he has disregarded life in general as a piece of trash, I daresay. This would be a good way, in my opinion, of him to actually forgive himself of all the evil deeds and justify his own actions, since life is just meaningless. Meanwhile, "She should have died hereafter" shows to what extent his cruelty had spread.
2. Accursed be the tongue that tells me so,
For it hath cowed my better part of man!
A short quote, but one that has impact. He believes himself to be omnipotent and curses those "that tell me so." In his opinion, he has the ultimate decision, will and right to do whatever he wants and whatever he wants others to do, since he is the king. This change of attitude is definitely part of the immense transformation Macbeth had undertaken. Assignment 7
Chapter 5
What is the main idea of the story?
The main idea is to show how much Macbeth had changed and how much Lady Macbeth had changed as well. Through Macbeth's unbelievably cruel deeds and thoughts, and Lady Macbeth's heartfelt confessions and guilt, Shakespeare is trying to tell the readers that people do change, and whether it is for the better or for the worse, these changes are quite shocking. Especially for Macbeth, his indifference towards his wife's death essentially tells the main idea.
What can we learn from these characters? Select one or two characters and explain your answer.
I think that we can learn a lot from both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.
Macbeth: From a loyal man, Macbeth turns into a horrible, power-obsessed king. We can see that no one is all pure and that everyone can transform, even to the extreme end like Macbeth. His change in Act 5 reminds me of Dorian Gray, who used to be just as pure, but is lured into the evil world by Lord Henry. We can justify, therefore, that external environment does affect a person a lot, and self-discipline is indeed a characteristic hard to get, but is necessary to remain pure and happy, away from the devil's temptation.
Lady Macbeth: Her sudden transformation is truly shocking since she realized all the misleading deeds that had shaped her life and characteristics. Though she wants to be forgiven and tries all ways, like washing her hands all the time, we learn that she dies. It shows that there are instances in life where it is already too late to be forgiven or revert one's deeds. Just like when Macbeth was feeling sorrowful for killing the king, what is done is done, and this can seldom be changed, not to mention when one learns one's own mistake much too late.
Do you see recurring images, words, deeds, situations, consequences, mistakes? Select two items from the preceding list and give examples from the play.
I think "blood" is a recurring image and word that keeps crossing my mind. It is both and image and image that has a significant weight in the book. Especially in Act 2.2, when Macbeth gives a brilliant metaphor of his blood dying the whole sea red, we can see that blood shows guilt. Meanwhile, a second item would be a situation, when in the later part of the book, Lady Macbeth keeps washing her hands. Her desperate attempt to wash her hands over and over again does show her regret. Both items do portray the themes present in the play.
a. What I learned about the characters from 1.3:
1. Witches
They are able to see the future and this ability can act as the foreshadowing of what is going to happen later on in the book. To add a point, since they are portrayed as bitter, evil characters, I kind of suspect that this play was written at the time when witches were publicly despised.
2. Macbeth
Macbeth is the thane of Cawdor and, according to the witch, is going to be the next king of Scotland. On his way back after the fight, he encounters the witches and their prediction startles him. Though he ignores the witches, or at least tries to, we can see that there is at least a little bit of curiosity in himself too.
3. Banquo
Banquo is the companion of Macbeth and they were on their way back home together when they met the witch. He seems to be an inquisitive man since he is definitely curious and wants the witches to tell more about what is going to happen. Though he would not become the king, his child would be. The fact that he treats the witches nicely in order to have a better fate (which is, of course, a ridiculous and impossible thing) shows that he is very obsessed about it.
4. Ross
Ross is a messenger of the king. Although there isn't a detailed description of him, we learn that he tries hard to gain favor of the king.
5. Angus
Angus is also a messenger for the king. He also seems to be an honorable and loyal man judging from his unfavorable opinions of treason.
b. Major plot events
The witches are plotting a vengeance against a sailor when they encounter Macbeth and Banquo. They had already expected this encounter and tell both of them about their respective future. Macbeth is going to become the Than of Cawdor, and later on, even the King while Banquo does not have a special fate, except for the fact that his child would become the king instead. Macbeth and Banquo later do find out from the King's messengers that Macbeth is indeed going to be the Thane of Cawdor.
c. Conflicts introduced
Conflict seems to grow, or is expected to grow, between Macbeth and Banquo. Banquo is jealous of Macbeth's bright future and when Macbeth does become the King, I expect that this conflict would grow wider. Thus, this conflict would arise from the desire of power and the power of fate.
Assignment 2
1.5 & 1.6
- What do we learn about Lady Macbeth in these scenes?
- Lady Macbeth, upon hearing her husband's words, is just as, if not more, hungry for power. She is willing to go to extreme ends to satisfy her obsession for power. Unlike Macbeth, she certainly has good leadership qualities, like charisma, which she misuses in order to form a conspiracy. She seems bold and man-like too. Thus, she is definitely not a traditional woman character and is expected to play a huge part in the ultimate outcome of the story.
- How might Lady Macbeth answer the question “What is the meaning of life?” Explain your answer.
- She might answer it as an endless struggle with self and others for fame, glory and power. She might also comment that the purpose of life is to reach its peak, which should be explored even if it takes unfair methods to accomplish. Therefore, the meaning of life is to conquer, and not to get conquered.
- Identify and write out two of Lady Macbeth’s lines that are particularly striking. Explain why you selected the lines.
- "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!" (Line 1.5.41-43)
- This sentence is rather shocking because it tells the readers directly of Lady Macbeth's boyish characteristics. The phrase "unsex me" suggests that she is more than willing to throw away all her feministic qualities and labels to gain power and the word "crown" further emphasizes that she no longer thinks like a normal woman,
- "Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor the heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry "Hold, hold!" (Line 1.5.50-53)
- It reflects her determination to
- It reflects her cruelty; she is not hesitant to put a sword through anyone. Nor is she afraid of God because of her sins, since she says that the heaven would not be able to stop her from killing the king. Therefore, it makes her all the more scarier.
- Identify one significant word that Lady Macbeth uses in 1.5 or 1.6, and define both the denotation and connotation of the word. Explain why you think the word is significant.
Assignment 3- The word would be "milk."
- Denotation: a substance that you drink in order to keep fit and healthy.
- Connotation: it symbolizes nourishment provided by the mother and represents a mother nurturing a child. It has a pure symbol and thus, is not at all associated with acts of violence. In the passage, Lady Macbeth says, "And take my milk for gall..." (Line 1.5.48)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.7: Why has Macbeth decided to kill King Duncan by the end of Act 1?
Before the discussion:
He is faced with enormous pressure from this wife. Because his wife keeps taunting him for not being able to kill the king, it hurt his pride and thus, Macbeth decides to be a man and kill the king.
Line reference:
1.7.42-45
"Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem"
After the discussion:
I think that although my original answer is right, there might be other reasons that I had not yet thought of. It is interesting to think of how Macbeth could actually not have been that innocent, and I don't think he was. In 1.4.52, he says, "Stars, hide your fires; let not the light see my black and deep desires." It shows that he has actually been intending to kill the kind from the beginning, and not that Lady Macbeth forced him to do so. Also, he seems to be convinced by Lady Macbeth too easily to be fully innocent.
Assignment 4
Act 2
- How does Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does he react this way?
Macbeth is traumatized. His deeds do seem real, like any normal man would act when a close friend had died. However, because he cannot overcome his guilt of being part of the murder, or at least having inspired the murder, he starts imagining things and is definitely not normal. "Sleep no more" (2.2.39) Macbeth says this showing his guilt that he feels for killing Duncan because he won't sleep anymore for doing this deed. He also shows this in 2.3.93-98 as he talks of how life is of less or no meaning and shows a changed view on the world. "All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead." (2.3.96) This is a significant quote since it shows Macbeth's loss of meaning of life and the will to live.- How does Lady Macbeth react to the killing of Duncan? Why does she react this way?
Since she is very cold, she is rather indifferent to the whole situation. Lady Macbeth acts like it was just another passing occasion, maybe partly because of her direct involvement to the murder. She is willing to sacrifice anyone and any inner feelings in order to achieve her desires.Lady Macbeth reacts totally differently to the killing of Duncan when compared to Macbeth. She is totally calm and tries to sooth Macbeth and make him feel better. Macbeth sees his hands and say it is a "sorry sight" and she replies by saying, "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight." (2.2.25) She also says to not think about it because it makes them regret in 2.2.37-38. She also takes the daggers and places them to frame others by herself for him to show that she doesn't care as long as they get away with it. She was a person that is quite evil and wants everything.
Assignment 5
OUTLINES
Act 3 Scene 5:
There is an encounter between the three witches and Hecate, who is angry at the witches' thoughtless actions of telling Macbeth about his fate. They plan to make him see interesting illusions and ultimately make him fail miserably.
Act 3 Scene 6:
Lennox and another lord discuss the situation in Scotland: Donalbain is trying to find alliances from England and with Macduff to try to overthrow Macbeth, who is not yet accused of the murders yet, but now of being a bad king.
What suspicions does the Lord have about Macbeth?
The Lord suspects that Macbeth would declare war on him and England.
Act 4 Scene 1:
1. What does Macbeth want in this scene?
Macbeth wants to know exactly what will happen to him in the future and what he should be wary of.
2. What stands in his way?
According to the witches' illusions, Macduff stands in his way, as do the children of Banquo who will indeed become kings.
3. How does Macbeth attempt overcome the obstacles in his way?
Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and his family as soon as possible, and therefore sets out to raid the town of Fife and Macduff's castle.
4. What do the Witches want in this scene?
The witches want Macbeth to listen to the spirits, but they also plan something very evil for him.
Assignment 6
Act 5
How has Macbeth changed by the end of the play?
- He has turned purely evil that his behaviors and characteristics remind me of Lady Macbeth at the beginning.
1. She should have died hereafter.
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.
It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
We can witness his indifference here, from quotes such as "signifying nothing," "tale told by an idiot" and "life's but a walking shadow." Hence, he has disregarded life in general as a piece of trash, I daresay. This would be a good way, in my opinion, of him to actually forgive himself of all the evil deeds and justify his own actions, since life is just meaningless. Meanwhile, "She should have died hereafter" shows to what extent his cruelty had spread.
2. Accursed be the tongue that tells me so,
For it hath cowed my better part of man!
A short quote, but one that has impact. He believes himself to be omnipotent and curses those "that tell me so." In his opinion, he has the ultimate decision, will and right to do whatever he wants and whatever he wants others to do, since he is the king. This change of attitude is definitely part of the immense transformation Macbeth had undertaken.
Assignment 7
Chapter 5
- What is the main idea of the story?
The main idea is to show how much Macbeth had changed and how much Lady Macbeth had changed as well. Through Macbeth's unbelievably cruel deeds and thoughts, and Lady Macbeth's heartfelt confessions and guilt, Shakespeare is trying to tell the readers that people do change, and whether it is for the better or for the worse, these changes are quite shocking. Especially for Macbeth, his indifference towards his wife's death essentially tells the main idea.- What can we learn from these characters? Select one or two characters and explain your answer.
I think that we can learn a lot from both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.Macbeth: From a loyal man, Macbeth turns into a horrible, power-obsessed king. We can see that no one is all pure and that everyone can transform, even to the extreme end like Macbeth. His change in Act 5 reminds me of Dorian Gray, who used to be just as pure, but is lured into the evil world by Lord Henry. We can justify, therefore, that external environment does affect a person a lot, and self-discipline is indeed a characteristic hard to get, but is necessary to remain pure and happy, away from the devil's temptation.
Lady Macbeth: Her sudden transformation is truly shocking since she realized all the misleading deeds that had shaped her life and characteristics. Though she wants to be forgiven and tries all ways, like washing her hands all the time, we learn that she dies. It shows that there are instances in life where it is already too late to be forgiven or revert one's deeds. Just like when Macbeth was feeling sorrowful for killing the king, what is done is done, and this can seldom be changed, not to mention when one learns one's own mistake much too late.
- Do you see recurring images, words, deeds, situations, consequences, mistakes? Select two items from the preceding list and give examples from the play.
I think "blood" is a recurring image and word that keeps crossing my mind. It is both and image and image that has a significant weight in the book. Especially in Act 2.2, when Macbeth gives a brilliant metaphor of his blood dying the whole sea red, we can see that blood shows guilt. Meanwhile, a second item would be a situation, when in the later part of the book, Lady Macbeth keeps washing her hands. Her desperate attempt to wash her hands over and over again does show her regret. Both items do portray the themes present in the play.